Among the major investments of the Klaus ducal family was Tsuchen.
If Elmur were to be selected as the base city instead of Tsuchen, Klaus’s finances would stagger.
A faint smile lingered on Esika’s lips as she gazed out the window.
‘Knowing the future is quite nice. You can make plans.’
Soon, she thought while staring at the drawer containing the Crown Prince’s emerald ring.
‘If only for the variable…’
Even in Brigitte, such pure emeralds are rare commodities.
Excellent craftsmanship and materials, a ring precious enough to evoke admiration.
Of course, for the Crown Prince who is bringing in tremendous spoils while reclaiming old territories for the conquest war, it might be nothing special.
‘…Is the Crown Prince the only one?’
Crown Prince Resban Deon Lucein. A beautiful and strong man with black hair and cold golden eyes.
He seems to be interested in her.
The wasteland in Elmur that Esika bought will yield dozens of times the profit.
That money… will be enough to buy Klaus. It’s essential for the success of the second plan.
But how will the Crown Prince view her if he learns that Esika bought Elmur in advance?
Suddenly, Esika recalled what Resban had said.
“Everything in the empire belongs to the Emperor. The Klaus ducal family is no exception.”
However, she was skeptical about whether he would interfere with her affairs.
Of course, she still doesn’t know his true intentions.
Anyway, Klaus is useless to him, being a supporter of the Second Prince. He might turn a blind eye.
“…”
Resban’s impression is very intense.
Cold and dignified, with a slightly languid gaze, exuding both noble air and wild charm.
Even in the book, the Crown Prince was described only by his actions, his inner thoughts unknown.
‘It’s a characteristic of masters.’
The past spirits were also like that.
Masters are vicious in personality, brutal, sensitive, and inscrutable.
Whether only such peculiar people become masters, or they change after becoming masters, is unknown.
**
Meanwhile, Callian, who was concentrating on processing work in his office, suddenly looked at the open door.
Yuri, carrying refreshments, was approaching.
With her bright blonde hair tied back and wearing a maid’s uniform, Yuri’s face looked somewhat pale.
“Your Grace.”
Yuri, after setting down the tea and cookies, spoke in a gentle voice.
“Please rest while working. I’m concerned about your health.”
“Well…”
Callian, momentarily closing his documents, looked into Yuri’s red eyes and said,
“I’m more concerned about your health, who supposedly fell down the stairs, than my own.”
At Callian’s joking words, Yuri’s red eyes flickered momentarily.
Soon, Yuri, her face slightly flushed, shook her head.
“I’m healthy, Your Grace.”
Then Yuri turned away.
Callian’s eyebrows twitched as he watched Yuri walking towards the door.
“…Wait.”
Yuri paused but didn’t turn to face Callian.
So she wouldn’t have noticed that the corners of her mouth were slightly raised.
Callian’s voice was heard.
“Why are you limping? It’s been quite some time since you were injured last time…”
“I… just fell, that’s all.”
Yuri turned hesitantly, avoiding Callian’s gaze.
Callian rose from his seat and walked towards Yuri with a hardened expression.
Then he lowered his body.
“…Your Grace.”
Callian’s face, looking up at her from below, was dizzying in its beauty.
Yuri blushed but didn’t stop Callian from lifting her skirt.
Yuri knew what Callian would see.
Though the wound had healed, there was certainly a scar.
A scar that would make anyone who saw it flinch.
“…This is…”
Indeed, Callian’s eyebrows hardened.
Only after confirming Callian’s reaction did Yuri step back one pace from him.
Callian, standing up, asked Yuri,
“What happened?”
“When I fell down the stairs last time…”
“Even a child would know this isn’t just a scar from falling.”
Yuri deliberately avoided Callian’s gaze and her eyes wavered sadly.
Callian thought as he watched Yuri’s demeanor.
Who could have made Yuri’s leg like this?
One couldn’t beat a person like this without considerable malice.
Yuri Anesis, she was a delicate and fragile woman like a flower.
Sometimes so kind it would make one sigh…
“…Is it Esika?”
Suddenly, Callian uttered her name.
If there was someone who would hold a grudge against Yuri, there would probably be only one.
Esika, who previously felt betrayed by Yuri and himself…
Callian’s heart began to pound, thump, thump.
“Could it be that you’ve developed some interest in me?”
Esika had spoken as if she had no interest in Callian at all.
But if she was still jealous and hating Yuri…
Callian’s eyes wavered as if realizing something.
There would be no woman who would beat someone to this extent over a man she had absolutely no interest in.
“Yuri, tell me properly!”
Yuri flinched at Callian’s gaze as he suddenly grasped her shoulders.
Callian’s deep purple eyes were covered with some emotion, whether excitement or anger, it was unclear.
Yuri thought Callian had fallen for it properly.
At first, she didn’t want to show him this cruel scar, fearing Callian might be repulsed.
But now, with him showing subtle favors to Esika, it was more important for Yuri to separate the two.
“I… don’t want to hate Esika…”
Clear tears rolled down Yuri’s eyes.
The tears that flowed down traced her chin, dripping, dripping onto the floor.
Her appearance evoked a protective instinct.
Callian reached out and embraced Yuri in his arms. It was an embrace after a long time.
Yuri’s trembling body was delicate and small.
“…Shh… It’s alright, Yuri.”
Callian patted Yuri’s back as she nestled in his arms.
He was now more tender to Yuri than ever before.
This wasn’t just because he pitied Yuri, or because he liked her.
Callian’s eyes were gleaming.
‘Yes, it was all an act from the beginning, Esika.’
He had been momentarily deceived by Esika’s suddenly cold and indifferent attitude.
Thinking that she no longer loved him.
Of course, considering the series of events, Esika might have felt wronged too.
After all, she hadn’t actually been extravagant, but there was clear evidence that her mother had overly educated her.
However, the Esika Klaus that Callian knew wasn’t a woman whose love would cool so easily.
‘…That attitude was to try and draw my attention.’
As the puzzle pieces fit together, a sense of victory took over Callian’s mind.
Yuri, nestled in Callian’s arms, was also inwardly smiling happily.
She had guessed that Callian would be angry at Esika, but she hadn’t expected him to pity her this much, thinking Esika had beaten her.
Yuri closed her eyes and momentarily fell into a happy daydream.
**
“My lady… We have a big problem!”
Selah rushed hurriedly to Esika, who was standing by the window looking at the garden.
Catching her breath from running so hard, Selah said to her with a pale face.
“The maids have submitted their resignation letters en masse for the head maid.”
Selah was also aware that rumors of head maid Yuri Anesis being severely abused by the Duchess had spread inside and outside the mansion.
“They say… they can’t… bear… the Duchess’s… abuse…”
Although she had interjected that it was nonsense, it’s impossible to overcome the voices of many.
They probably all knew.
That the person who had made Yuri’s leg like that was not Esika but Riona.
Esika had rather been the one ignored and mistreated by the maids for three years.
So this mass resignation submission was an implicitly agreed-upon show by higher-ups.
It doesn’t make sense from the start, does it?
How dare mere maids submit resignation letters saying they can’t bear the Duchess’s violence.
“And the elder lady will be placating the maids.”
At Esika’s words, Selah nodded with a startled expression.
Esika didn’t seem to be flustered at all by this absurd situation.
Rather, her eyes were detached as if she had anticipated such an occurrence.
“…My lady.”
“Selah, what do you think?”
At Esika’s question, Selah immediately sputtered.
“There’s nothing to think about, it’s nonsense. The maids who submitted their resignations must surely think so too. It’s not you who abuses the maids, but the elder lady!”
There was a time when Selah, too, was once by the elder lady’s side like the other maids.
From afar, she seemed a perfectly dignified and elegant elder lady, but those who served her closely knew her true nature.
Physical assault was basic, and being kicked was commonplace. Her mood swings were like boiling porridge, making the mental stress almost unbearable.
Of course, the elder lady’s direct maids had higher monthly wages compared to other maids, but they only felt life was a bit more livable after being cast out by her.
“Then why do you think the elder lady planned this nonsensical event?”
At Esika’s question, Selah flinched again.
“…My lady…”
Esika, looking at Selah’s face which seemed quite angry at the elder lady, smiled faintly and looked out the window again.
Indeed, this Klaus mansion is not peaceful.
And the spirit was more accustomed to and stronger in environments that were not peaceful rather than peaceful ones.
“To make me kneel.”
Esika’s lips moved.
How dare they.
“The problem is, I know their intentions all too well.”
My Step-brother Is Obsessed With Me (Female-dominant)
A gentle female protagonist vs pitiful in the early stage, and a sick male protagonist in the later stage
Cheng Songer transmigrated into the body of a vicious cannon fodder female supporting character with the same name as her in a female-dominant novel.
In the original story, the cannon fodder female supporting character was inhumane, committing domestic violence, gambling excessively, being lustful, and even wanting to sell her stepbrother to a brothel for money.
As luck would have it, she just happened to transmigrate at this time.
Seeing Cheng Qingzhi biting his lip, enduring the tears in his eyes, looking pitiful, her heart softened.
She stuffed the money back into the Madam’s hand and reached out to him.
“Brother, come home with me.”
